Modified Q-Learning Method for Automatic Voltage Regulation in Wide-Area Multigeneration Systems

The state-estimation and optimal control of multigeneration systems are challenging for wide-area systems having numerous distributed automatic voltage regulators (AVR). This paper proposes a modified Q-learning method and algorithm that aim to improve the convergence of the approach and enhance the dynamic response and stability of the terminal voltage of multiple generators in the experimental Western System Coordinating Council (WSCC) and large-scale IEEE 39-bus test systems. The large-scale experimental testbed consists of a six-area, 39-bus system having ten generators that are connected to ten AVRs. The implementation shows promising results in providing stable terminal voltage profiles and other system parameters across a wide range of AVR systems under different test scenarios including N-1 contingency and fault conditions. The approach could provide significant stability improvement for wide-area systems as compared to the implementation of conventional methods such as using standalone AVR and/or power system stabilizers (PSS) for the wide-area control of power systems

A Cross Entropy Interpretation of R{\'{e}}nyi Entropy for α\alpha-leakage

This paper proposes an $\alpha$-leakage measure for $\alpha\in[0,\infty)$ by a cross entropy interpretation of R{\'{e}}nyi entropy. While R\'{e}nyi entropy was originally defined as an $f$-mean for $f(t) = \exp((1-\alpha)t)$, we reveal that it is also a $\tilde{f}$-mean cross entropy measure for $\tilde{f}(t) = \exp(\frac{1-\alpha}{\alpha}t)$. Minimizing this R\'{e}nyi cross-entropy gives R\'{e}nyi entropy, by which the prior and posterior uncertainty measures are defined corresponding to the adversary's knowledge gain on sensitive attribute before and after data release, respectively. The $\alpha$-leakage is proposed as the difference between $\tilde{f}$-mean prior and posterior uncertainty measures, which is exactly the Arimoto mutual information. This not only extends the existing $\alpha$-leakage from $\alpha \in [1,\infty)$ to the overall R{\'{e}}nyi order range $\alpha \in [0,\infty)$ in a well-founded way with $\alpha=0$ referring to nonstochastic leakage, but also reveals that the existing maximal leakage is a $\tilde{f}$-mean of an elementary $\alpha$-leakage for all $\alpha \in [0,\infty)$, which generalizes the existing pointwise maximal leakage.Comment: 7 pages; 1 figur

α\alpha-Information-theoretic Privacy Watchdog and Optimal Privatization Scheme

This paper proposes an $\alpha$-lift measure for data privacy and determines the optimal privatization scheme that minimizes the $\alpha$-lift in the watchdog method. To release data $X$ that is correlated with sensitive information $S$, the ratio $l(s,x) = \frac{p(s|x)}{p(s)}$ denotes the `lift' of the posterior belief on $S$ and quantifies data privacy. The $\alpha$-lift is proposed as the $L_\alpha$-norm of the lift: $\ell_{\alpha}(x) = \| (\cdot,x) \|_{\alpha} = (E[l(S,x)^\alpha])^{1/\alpha}$. This is a tunable measure: When $\alpha < \infty$, each lift is weighted by its likelihood of appearing in the dataset (w.r.t. the marginal probability $p(s)$); For $\alpha = \infty$, $\alpha$-lift reduces to the existing maximum lift. To generate the sanitized data $Y$, we adopt the privacy watchdog method using $\alpha$-lift: Obtain $\mathcal{X}_{\epsilon}$ containing all $x$'s such that $\ell_{\alpha}(x) > e^{\epsilon}$; Apply the randomization $r(y|x)$ to all $x \in \mathcal{X}_{\epsilon}$, while all other $x \in \mathcal{X} \setminus \mathcal{X}_{\epsilon}$ are published directly. For the resulting $\alpha$-lift $\ell_{\alpha}(y)$, it is shown that the Sibson mutual information $I_{\alpha}^{S}(S;Y)$ is proportional to $E[ \ell_{\alpha}(y)]$. We further define a stronger measure $\bar{I}_{\alpha}^{S}(S;Y)$ using the worst-case $\alpha$-lift: $\max_{y} \ell_{\alpha}(y)$. We prove that the optimal randomization $r^*(y|x)$ that minimizes both $I_{\alpha}^{S}(S;Y)$ and $\bar{I}_{\alpha}^{S}(S;Y)$ is $X$-invariant, i.e., $r^*(y|x) = R(y), \forall x\in \mathcal{X}_{\epsilon}$ for any probability distribution $R$ over $y \in \mathcal{X}_{\epsilon}$. Numerical experiments show that $\alpha$-lift can provide flexibility in the privacy-utility tradeoff

The involvement of hippocampal CA3 TRP channels in anxiety and avoidance memory consolidation in rats tested in elevated plus maze

    In the current study, we assessed the role of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels on avoidance memory and anxiety states in CA3 area of the hippocampus. We explored the anxiety and avoidance memory states using test-retest protocol in the elevated plus maze to understand whether TRP channels can affect the above mentioned states in CA3 area. To investigate the consolidation phase of memory, the drugs were injected into the CA3 region before the test. Our data showed that the application of SKF-96365 did not alter anxiety-like behaviors but induced avoidance memory impairment. It was revealed that CA3 TRP channels could affect the avoidance memory consolidation and their role must be considered in future research

Internal Evaluation of the Endodontics Department, School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Background & Objective : Internal evaluation is a process concerning information collection and judgment in order to improve educational activities. Considering some facts related to educational measurement and collecting information will lead to a better understanding of the mentioned process. In this study, we conducted the internal evaluation of the endodontics department in Tehran University of Medical Sciences, which is responsible for training dentistry students and residents. Methods : In this descriptive study, internal evaluation was conducted using 10 steps in 9 fields including management and organization, faculty members, learners, human resources and support, educational, research, and other atmospheres, facilities regarding education, research, etc., courses, educational programs, teaching and learning process, patients and finally graduates’ satisfaction. Data was collected using observation, interview, questionnaire, and checklist. Results : According to the definition of satisfactory, results of this study were mostly qualitative and in some cases they were quantitative. The average result of the internal evaluation of the endodontics department in the school of dentistry, considering 9 fields, was 73.7% which was considered as approximately satisfactory. The results for fields like faculty members and learners were satisfactory (100% and 77.8% respectively). Atmospheres and educational facilities were unsatisfactory (both were 46%) . Conclusion : According to the results, atmospheres and educational facilities which were identified as the weakest fields need more consideration and investigation. Keywords: Internal evaluation, Department, Endodontics, School of dentistry

The potential role of the orexin reward system in future treatments for opioid drug abuse

Despite a history of more than a century of intense research in drug addiction, with currently available medication and behavioral therapy, the rate of relapse to drug use is 40�60 percent within a year after the cessation of treatment. The discovery of the neuropeptide orexin/hypocretin in 1998 and subsequent research during the past 20 years revealed an important role for the lateral hypothalamus (LH) in driving the reward pathway. The present review includes an overview of the orexinergic system and focuses on the role of LH orexin neurons targeting different components of the brain's reward pathway in addictive behaviors. Among major animal models of drug reinforcement and addictive behaviors, we narrowed our focus to include conditioned place preference (CPP) and self-administration methods. In this regard, studies on both orexin-1 receptors (OX1Rs) and orexin-2 receptors (OX2Rs) have shown some positive results, suggesting that single orexin receptor antagonists (SORAs) and dual orexin receptor antagonists (DORAs) may hold promising efficacy in the treatment of addiction compared to the currently used methods. We conclude that since current evidence is still preliminary, development of new SORA and DORA compounds and their evaluation in animal and clinical studies will guide us in our future efforts for developing effective medication. © 2018 Elsevier B.V

Identification of intracellular signaling pathways activated in ESP-treated dendritic cells.

The murine nematode Heligmosomoides po/ygyrus serves as a madel for studying human gastrointestinal helminth infections, which are highly endemie in areas of poor sanitation worldwide. H. po/ygyrus is recognized for its patent modulatory effects on host immune responses to unrelated antigens. Excretorysecretory products (ESP) released from adult H. polygyrus worms have been shawn ta be responsible for the immunosuppressive effects. Our previous studies showed that H. polygyrus-derived ESP modulates immune responses to unrelated antigens by inhibiting dendritic cell (DC) maturation and cytokine production in response to patent TLR ligands, but the intracellular signaling pathway(s) by which ESP modulates DC function are unknown. To identify the signaling pathways involved, bane marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDC) were stimulated in vitro with medium, CpG-ODN, ESP, or ESP prior to CpG-ODN. Following overnight culture, BMDC lysates were prepared and analyzed by Western blotting for differentiai signaling cascades, namely, the MAPK and spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) pathways. Neither p38 MAPK, Erk 1/2, nor pSAPK/JNK were differentially regulated as a result of DC stimulation with ESP. However, we observed increased PL C-yl expression, indicating activation of the Syk pathway known to be involved in response to C-type lectins. Collectively, our data suggest that DC may recognize ESP in a TLRindependent manner but that H. polygyrus-derived ESP may induce signaling in DC via the Syk pathway. ln conclusion, these observations provide novel information that may be useful in identifying H. polygyrusderived ESP proteins involved in modulating DC function.</p